It may not look it, but the 2015 Subaru WRX STI was one of the hottest cars that made debut at this year’s Detroit Motor Show. We say it may not look it because on the surfaces it appears to be a badly designed Japanese sedan with silly boy racer wings sprouting out of it. But the car has substance – a lot of substance.

You get a 305-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged BOXER engine, and one of the best sorted chassis on God’s green earth, and a sophisticated drivetrain featuring a blend of the proven Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and a whole host of computer-controlled vehicle dynamics systems.

Here we have Subaru America’s regional manager explaining in simple words what’s new and interesting about the 2015 Subaru WRX STI:

Among the new features that are supposed to make a big difference in the way the car drives compared to the old WRX STI we can mention the Multi-Mode Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Multi-Mode Vehicle Dynamics Control, Brembo Performance Brake System with Super Sport ABS, and of course the Active Torque Vectoring.

WRX STI models have always been a nerd fest with their electronic stuff. But this one seems to be overdosing. Will this take away from the rally-car feel you get from driving a WRX? Well, we should sample one to judge.